the Spirit World
by Gillypickle
Summary: The gang visit a haunted mansion.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Penny scowled at the Hello Kitty wallpaper on her laptop. She had closed the document for a third time. She never felt so useless and inadequate in her life. Perhaps she really did belong waiting tables, she obviously had no business being on a Journalism course. She couldn't imagine other writers having such problems starting a story, she had stared at that blank page for a full twenty minutes.

Leonard came into her apartment at that moment. She looked up and was suddenly glad of the break.

"Hello stranger," she said in a rather sad voice.

"You okay?" he asked.

Penny took full advantage of his sympathetic tone and launched into a tirade.

"I can't do this stupid story. Leonard, I'm just not cut out for this Journalism crap."

"Aww come on, you've only just started. It's bound to take a while. What have you got so far?"

Penny clicked away on her keyboard and brought up the few lines she had begun with. Leonard read quickly through them. He so wanted to be encouraging but what she had written didn't make much sense.

"The life story of a Saudi Princess,"

He read the title out loud and cast a doubtful look at his girlfriend.

"You see, even you think it's crap."

"No I don't think it's crap it's just Penny...you are not a Saudi Princess nor do you know any Saudi Princesses."

"My friend at work read a book about a Saudi Princess she could give me some tips."

"Or you could write about something you actually know about!"

"Leonard, I live a boring life working at the cheesecake factory and hanging out with you guys."

"Thanks,"

Penny moved towards him and played with the strings attached to his hooded jacket.

"You know what I mean. It's just not riveting stuff people will want to read. I don't lead a very full life."

Leonard gave her a hug.

"Don't worry. It'll come to you. Just stick with it. Nobody comes up with award winning prose their first time out. It takes time."

"Leonard I've done enough for one day, can't we go over to your place and fool around. Sheldon will be gone all evening,"

"Why my place, why not here."

"Look around Leonard, this place is a dump. Unless you want to stay over here and help me clean up."

Leonard took hold of her hand and headed for the door.

"No that's fine. My place is just fine."

They burst though the door already laughing and kissing and trying to remove clothes from each other. They both froze as Sheldon looked back at them.

"You could at least wait until you enter Leonard's room." He said.

Penny pulled her sweater back into place.

Leonard scowled at his friend. "Sheldon I thought you were with Amy."

"I was, now I'm here. Amy was serving chicken and vegetables for dinner."

"So," Leonard shrugged.

"I don't like chicken and vegetables, I wanted spaghetti."

"Sheldon, you didn't walk out on her did you." Penny asked.

"No I told her I don't like chicken and I got my jacket. She turned off the stove and went to her bedroom."

Both Penny and Leonard exchanged glances. Penny was about to advise him on future relations with Amy when Raj and Howard burst through the door and plonked themselves down on the couch.

"I thought you two were going to a party with your friends."

"Ex friends," Howard nodded.

"What happened, though in truth I don't really care." Leonard said, making Penny smile.

"Turns out our friends enjoy the ancient tradition known as the dark arts. They took us to a mansion belonging to a friend of theirs and before you know it they were all sitting around a ouija board."

"Aw did you get scared," Leonard smiled.

"Contact with the dead is highly against my religion." Howard said, though in truth he did looked scared.

"It's all a lot of hokum," Sheldon weighed in. "They had a Ouija board at a party when I was growing up. My mother stormed out saying it weren't Christian. For a few weeks plates were flying around and electricity was going on and off and neighbors were saying it was the spirit world. "

"So what was it?" Howard asked.

Sheldon shrugged, "I don't know. "

Howard and Raj looked over at each other. Sheldon's story wasn't helping them much.

"Kripke says his friends who own the mansion are holding a House on Haunted Hill like party there next Saturday. You pay 100 bucks each to attend the party and stay the night."

Leonard sneered at the idea. "who'd want to pay a 100 bucks to attend a dumb old party."

But Penny smiled over at him. "A party at a mansion, they might have four poster beds Leonard,"

"I doubt it."

Leonard dismissed the idea but as he locked eyes with Penny he suddenly knew what was on her mind.

"No, I think we should go." he suddenly nodded. "It might be fun."

Howard looked at him incredulously. "Are you serious, I only told you that because I was making conversation. You seriously want to spend 100 bucks to visit an old house. There'll be no one there but weirdoes and You Tubers trying to post videos."

"Weirdo's, You Tubers and four poster beds." Leonard grinned.

"Well I won't be going," Sheldon announced. "I've never met with such tomfoolery in my life. "

"We'd love to go," said Amy

Everyone looked down at Sheldon's laptop.

"Ohh, I forgot about her."

Sheldon tried to slowly close the lid down but it was too late Amy had heard of the exciting excursion.

"Sheldon, this will more than make up for your rash departure from my apartment earlier today. I trust you do want to make amends for your rude behavior don't you."

Sheldon had no clue how to successfully navigate a disagreement with one of the opposite sex.

"Yes it looks like we will be coming to," He said at last.

Leonard looked to Raj and Howard.

"Well if you are all going to burn in the fires of hell I may as well join in your madness." Raj said with a frown of resignation.

"Glad to have you aboard," Leonard smiled.

Howard stood to leave.

"Well I won't be going."

"Aw come on Howard," Penny grinned "Safety in numbers."

But Howard was adamant. There was something unsettling in the whole business. He couldn't put his finger on it but he hadn't felt right since they left the mansion.

That night he tried to shake off the feeling by playing a video game in his room but even that did little to quell the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. As he sat on his bed playing mine craft he couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching him.


	2. Chapter 2

Howard dragged himself up into a sitting position. Although it was Sunday he didn't want to spend half the day in bed, He just had a terrible night and felt he just wanted to get dressed and start the day.. He couldn't explain this feeling he now had. There was nothing in his life that could account for it. It was like an oppressive feeling in the air all around him.

His mom would be home from her religious retreat in two days. He smiled to himself as he poured cereal into a bowl. He actually found himself looking forward to her return. What a turn for the books that was.

Howard dropped his spoon and spun around. His dark eyes stared at the open door.

"Hello," he called out.

His heart pounded in his ears as he slowly walked to the door and peered down the hall. He had definitely heard it, it was like someone had just walked passed the open door.

"Ma?"

Howard walked slowly towards his mother's room. He pushed the door with his fingers. The musty smell of perfume assaulted his senses. He walked in and peered around its gloomy interior. The bed was left unmade and the dull grey blind hung down at an awkward angle. He bent and picked up a shawl from the floor. He ran the delicate material through his was no sound to be heard but the loud ticking of an old fashioned clock. It peeped out from under a pile of stringed beads and large gaudy rings on her bedside table.

Howard threw the shawl over the closet door and headed out of the room. He was annoyed at himself now. He had the place to himself all weekend and here he was imagining ghosts.

Howard immediately took out his phone and found his favorite play list. He soon had Beyoncé for company belting out Crazy Right Now..

He set it down on the table and brought his cereal over to eat. He told himself the music was helping and yet he found himself trying to hear over it. His senses were on high alert.

Howard quickly grabbed for the phone and turned it to silent. This time the sound came from his own room. He could hear his breathing loud in his ears as he slowly walked towards his room. He put out two fingers and nudged the door open.

Howard nearly jumped out of his skin. He actually let out a cry of alarm. It took him a full thirty seconds to realize it was only the door bell. He put a hand to his chest and tried to steady his breathing.

Kripke stood on the door step hammering a finger on the bell as he waited impatiently.

"Wolowitz there you are, I thought you was still sleepin."

Kripke reached into his messenger boy like satchel and brought out an iphone. Raj left this behind him, you two were pretty spooked last night." he grinned.

"Yeah pretty spooked." Howard repeated sarcastically.

"I'll see that he gets this."

Kripke turned to leave. Howard turned and looked down the dimly lit hall.

"Kripke,"

"What,"

"You wanna come in. Have some breakfast?"

Kripke thought on this a moment.

"I'm a busy man but I'm not adverse to the idea of free food. So what ye serving Wolowitz."

Kripke followed him into the hall.

"So what we havin to eat."

Howard wasn't listening. He bent low and picked up his mother's shawl from the floor. He held the fabric in his trembling fingers.

" You got any eggs Wolowitz. I usually like an omelette on a Sunday. You don't know how to make that I can show you."

Howard didn't answer. He came slowly into the kitchen holding the shawl in his hands.

"You like omelette? You ok Wolowitz?"

"Come on, we're eating out. I know a place that does burgers."

"I don't think I care for burgers this hour of the morning."

Kripke watched curiously as Howard took hold of his sleeve and began pulling him towards the front door. They both froze and listened as something furniture like could be heard moving in Howards mothers room. The heavy object could be heard squeaking across the floor.

"Oh you're not alone Wolowitz. I thought you were alone."

"No we're not alone." Howard muttered as he pulled Kripke outside.

~o~

Kripke and Howard had a good talk about it over a shared pizza. Howard bought the pizza and two chocolate milkshakes. Kripke thanked him for the food and promised not to divulge a word of this strange story to any of their work colleagues.

At this point Kripke wanted to go. It was getting late and Howard wasn't exactly his bestie so why hang out.

Howard looked up at him with a tinge of desperation in his eyes.  
"The comic book store has a new comic out. We should go and check it out. It might be good."

"What's the comic?"

"Er, Batman..."

"Ok Wolowitz, I could hang out for another hour. But then I really gotta run."

Howard was pleasantly surprised to see Sheldon and Leonard thumbing through the just in section of comics.

"Hay guys," He grinned, patting Sheldon on the back.

Leonard grinned as he sauntered over, Sheldon stared at the spot on his back that just got patted for no good reason.

"Hay what are you two doing here at this time in the morning. I wouldn't have thought you'd be up yet Howard."

Kripke answered for both of them.

"Howard thinks theres a ghost in his house. He got scared and wanted me to hang out with him."

Howard looked directly at him but Kripke didnt seem to know he had done anything wrong there.

Kripke went on.  
"You guys going to the House on Haunted Hill party next Saturday. Its gonna be a blast."

"We're thinking about it, it's kinda expensive." Leonard told him.

"I'm not going," Sheldon put in immediately.

Everyone ignored him.

"There'll be party food laid on and come on where are you going to get a hotel for 100 dollars a night."

"Practically every hotel." Leonard said.

"Yeah ok but you're going to go. You know you're going to go so..."

Leonard shrugged Kripke was right of course.

" I'll leave Wolowitz in your care I have things to do. He's had his dinner. Don't forget to put him down for his nap in the afternoon."

"I don't need a nap." Howard muttered

Kripke went on . "I put some tickets for the house thing behind the counter, just ask Stewart. I'm trying to help this guy out with his house tour."

"And bring in a little commission money for yourself."  
Leonard grinned back at him.

"You have a suspicious nature Hofstadter."

With that Kripke headed out.

~o~

"So Howard what's this about. You think there is a ghost in your house?"  
Leonard was again thumbing through the comics as he spoke.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You talked to Kripke,"

"Yeah my mistake."

Howard took up position beside Sheldon and began looking through the just in section.

"We should go over there. It might be a good science study." Sheldon muttered almost to himself.

Leonard turned to him.  
"You know Sheldon you're right. After all its nearly Halloween. We could collect Raj and Penny and make a night of it. It might be fun."

Leonard grinned at the prospect.

"Ohh what have I done." Sheldon moaned to himself.

"Yeah this is not a good idea. I'm telling you there is something strange going on in my house."

"Sheldon, you wanna bring Amy."

"I don't think she will want to come, it's not a scheduled date night."

"Yeah but tomorrow is a public holiday. We don't have to work. We'll stop off at the store and get some chips and dip and some wine for Penny. We can bring recording equipment. This is gonna be fun."

Leonard grinned from ear to ear as he followed Sheldon to the door.

Howard followed along behind.  
"I'm telling you I don't think this is a good idea."

Nobody was listening to him.


	3. Chapter 3

Big Bang Chapter 3

The gang would not be swayed, it was too good an idea. Howard was somewhat surprised that Sheldon was going along with it but that's how his luck was going so let the circle of shite commence. Penny and Amy was so up for the plan. Monday was a public holiday anyway so why spend Sunday night at home. Penny wanted to go out and party and Amy wanted to spend some time with Sheldon whom she was slowly starting to feel really comfortable with. The only saving grace for Howard was that Penny did not contact Bernadette. He didn't want his new girlfriend seeing how messed up he was about a creepy situation in his house.

They all met up in Leonards apartment. The boys collected together what surveillance equipment they could gather. Penny collected what alcohol she could gather and they were all ready.

Amy looked a little worried. "We're not going to be playing with oujia boards or anything like that are we? I don't like that."

Leonard gave her a reassuring smile.

"No that would be stupid. We're just going to go over there to reassure Howard that what he thought he heard was all in his head and there's nothing over there haunting his house."

"You don't have to make like I'm an idiot." Howard grumbled.

"I know,"

Leonard's smile was even broader as he patted his friend's shoulder.

¬o¬

They headed out to a bar to have a few drinks for courage. By the time they arrived at Howards place even Howard was in better form. They fell in the door laughing and shushing each other lest some neighbour should call the cops.

"Hay ghost e poos. We're here!" Penny called out as they entered.

Once in the hall she bent and picked up a shawl from the ground.

"Oh, our ghost friend likes to dress up. I must give her some tips." Penny took the shawl and placed it around her neck and over her shoulder.

Howard was in less good humour now as he laid eyes on the shawl he had put away twice before. Once again it had been lying on the floor in the hall.

They all congregated in the living room. Now his mother was gone on her retreat they had her big 50 inch television to themselves. Howard ran to get his xbox to hook up to it.

"We're not going to be playing games are we, That's not going to be much fun." Amy frowned.

Howard froze at the door cradling his xbox in his hands.

Sheldon turned to Amy. "No, it's alright, you're not going to be playing xbox. You and Penny are free to do what ever girls like to do. We are going to be playing xbox.

Sheldon gestured to the men present. Amy was not impressed, neither was Penny. She looked to Leonard.

"Howard, maybe we could play that later, in the meantime…."

They all froze. A loud thump came from just outside the door.

"Get the camera equipment," Leonard gestured to the others.

The boys all began routing though their rugsacks pulling out expensive cameras and so many wires that Amy was triggered to ask.

"Why don't you just use your phones?"

Raj held two pieces of expensive equipment in both hands. He turned to the others.

"You know she has a point."

The boys carefully put the equipment back in their bags and took out their flagship cell phones instead. Carefully they walked out towards the hall.

"Hello," Leonard called out.

Everyone could hear him swallow loudly as he asked,

"Is there anybody there."

He put a hand to the door of the bedroom and pushed it gently open.

"Gee Howard, does your mom ever clean her room."

A surge went through all of them like an electric bolt as the coverlet on his mom's bed moved down towards the floor. They all screamed and moved back up the hall falling over each other in their haste to get away. They all found their senses only when they were standing out in the porch getting wet in the rain.

"Did you see that," Penny snapped, breathing hard.

"No we saw nothing, That's why we're all standing out here in the rain." Amy shot back at her.

Leonard put hands up to quiten them all. "Look it could have been just the cover was heavy and it slipped down the bed."

Howard shook his head. "No things have been happening like that ever since me and Raj went to visit that house on Friday."

"I told you not to go, I knew you'd get all spooked." Leonard told him, rather unhelpful like.

"Oh, I'm spooked. Ok go back in the house Leonard and investigate the sliding cover. Go on then if you're such an expert on the paranormal."

Raj got between Leonard and Howard even though there was no need to.

"Now come on, let us not fight. Guys, that is what they want. They want us to fight so they can feed on our negative energy."

"They want to feed on our negative energy?" Howard looked at him with much doubt in his face.

"Yes, did you not see Star Trek: Day of the Dove. They want us to be at each other's throats."

"Well I'm not staying out here getting wet." Penny decided.

Raj watched as she headed back into the house. He shook his head in wonder at her bravery. But Penny wasn't being brave she was drunk and she had on a pair of very high sandles which were flaying the skin off of her feet and she had forgotten where her phone was. So any ghost would have to take a number because Penny was now triggered.

One by one they all headed back indoors. Howard went to the kitchen to get more snacks and another bottle of wine. Perhaps Leonard was right, perhaps their movement in and around the house had caused the coverlet to slip from the bed.

"Here settle down, sit," He told the others. "Hold up your glasses, this is good stuff."

He began doing the host and pouring them all a glass of wine. Amy was tipsy already and took up position snuggled next to Sheldon. He didn't understand the need for such closeness as Howard had ample chair space but he chose not to bring it up just now. He had gotten rain on his clothes and Amy was keeping his left side warm.

"Maybe we will play xbox," Penny called out. "You can show us how to play it."

Leonard frowned at the idea. They were all well intoxicated and he doubted even if he and the boys could play with any degree of acuracy. Then again it might be fun to play while drunk. He was about to say so when a sudden crash in the kitchen made them all nearly jump out of their skin. They all looked at each other with wide eyes. There wasn't a sound to be heard but their rapid breaths.

Leonard took his courage in his hands. He flicked on the camera of his phone and walked slowly towards the kitchen. This time there was no mistaking it. All the glasses that were stacked on the draining board were in pieces on the floor.

They crunched under foot at Leonard walked towards them.

"Howard, I think you've got a ghost in your house." He said, trying to keep the tremmor from his voice.

"Ok, I've had enough now. I think we should all go back to Leonards and Sheldons place, that includes you Howard." Penny said seriously.

"Wait, wheres Sheldon?" Amy asked, looking all around her.

"Sheldon, Sheldon," they called out as they opened every door.

"This is crazy, where is he?" Penny cried desperately as she searched through Howards room.

"This house isn't that big, where the hell is he?"

Amy froze as she caught sight of something out the window. She suddenly ran for the front door. They all followed behind her.

"Sheldon?" She called to him gently.

He was standing with his back to her in the garden. He was getting soaked.

"Sheldon,"

"They told lies about me. It's all lies."

"Sheldon what are you talking about,"

Amy put a hand to his shoulder and Sheldon jumped. He looked all around him.

"What am I doing?" He whispered in bewilderment.

"Come on Sheldon." Amy took his hand in order to lead him back into the house.

"No hold on Amy, he's hurt himself."

A streak of blood was pooling at his hairline and running a tiny river into his left eye.

Leonard put a hand to his head causing Sheldon to wince.

"Sheldon did you hurt yourself?" He asked.

Sheldon shook his head. "I don't know,"

Howard stepped forward. "What were you saying just now about someone telling lies Sheldon, what lies."

"I don't know," Sheldon looked around him again. He put a hand to his eye as blood was making it sting.

"We'd best get him in the house," Howard said.

But Leonard wasn't having it.

"No, lock the house up Howard. Take Raj with you and lock it up. We'll take Sheldon to the car. We can patch him up back at our place. Nobody is going back into that house until we know what is going on."

Penny Leonard and Amy led Sheldon back to the car, Howard and Raj went quickly into the house. They switched off what they could, collected phones and equipment and locked up the house.

Howard walked briskly towards the car trying not to look terrified, Raj took a look back. His dark eyes narrowed as he noted the curtain at the kitchen window fall gently back into place.


End file.
